5/14    Sometimes the good guys win one (Gonzalez resigns):
        http://www.csua.org/u/ip4
        \_ That looks like Paul McNulty resigned, not Gonzales.
           \_ Bummer.
           \_ I misread this as Paul McCartney, and was really confused.
              \_ Paul McCartney resigned about 30 years ago.

5/15    I understand that some people disagree with my opinions here (some
        quite vehemently).  But I don't think it's ethical to be adding words
        to my post saying that I "killed a man with a screwdriver".  Besides, I
        have a handgun that would work better than a screwdriver.  -emarkp
        \_ psb thinks he's clever.  -tom
           \_ Ironically, he's the one who talked about setting a person on
              fire because he disagrees with his opinion.  I think I appear far
              more stable by comparison. -emarkp
              \- charles krauthhammer isnt a man. he is a cockroach.
                 \_ The cockroach caucus demand a retraction of that
                    defamatory remark.

5/15    Matt Drudge treats Romney well.  The mainstream media follows Drudge
        like lemmings.  Therefore, Romney will win.
        http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/05/14/drudge/index1.html
        \_ That's quite a leap.  Drudge is a head line guy.  He gets almost all
           of his 'news' from other mainstream sites.  How does a guy who
           aggregates other people's news links have any control over anything?
           He's got a good deal going for himself but he's not a news maker or
           power broker.
           \_ False.  Drudge maintains relationships with oppo research
              teams in the various campaigns.  He is a primary conduit for
              leaks from those oppo groups.

5/15    Watch the documentary on the fucked up Scientologists:
        http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/nol/newsid_4120000/newsid_4124500/4124514.stm
        \_ Is there a documentary on the non-fucked up Scientologists?

5/15    Steven Spielberg and Peter Jackson team up to work on a Tintin movie:
        http://preview.tinyurl.com/3b9d4k (variety.com)
        \_ Let's hope they keep all the homoerotic undertones between Tintin
           and Captain Haddock!

5/15    Rot in hell, you fucking traitorous son of a whore:
        http://www.nytimes.com/2007/05/15/obituaries/15cnd-falwell.html?_r=1&hp&
oref=slogin
        Falwell finally does something to make the world a better place by
        dying.
        \_ will there be hookers in heaven for him?
        \_ Liberty University is in Lynchburg?  Is that appropriate or ironic?
        \_ Ah, the hatred of the left is always so sad to see.
           \_ There are plenty of people I dislike that I'll gladly give
              dignity in death.  Falwell was much beyond that.  Falwell
              was a religious facist who justly deserves his place with hell.
              Good fucking riddance to a powerful man who blamed AIDS on
              society accepting gays as people.  Good fucking riddance to a
              powerful man who blamed 9/11 on feminism and atheism.  Good
              fucking riddance to a man worked hard to destroy my fundemental
              religious and moral freedoms.  Burn Falwell burn.
           \_ Though the right is chock full of hate--more so than the left
              ever has been.
              \_ Keep asserting it, it's a nice security blanket.
                 \_ Especially when it's true.
              \_ I don't know if you can really say that. "The left" has
                 massacred lots of people over the last 100 years. Maybe
                 you meant to say "the left in the United States" or
                 "the left today." -lefty
                 \_ I was talking about hate, not deaths--but you could argue
                    that the Christian invasion of the New World and Africa
                    was an activity of the "right", and that caused more
                    deaths than the left's recent activities.
                    \_ Well, I am not going to get into all that. Colonialism
                       has probably killed more than Communism, true. But the
                       point is that the left has had plenty of hate at times
                       in the past, so your claim that the right [today] is
                       more hateful than the left has at any time in history
                       is a pretty extreme one and wrong, imo.
           \_ Agreed, as is the hypocrisy of the right.
              \_ Well, hypocrisy on any side.
                 \_ And the hatred of either.
           \_ The left hates Falwell because of his hate, not because he's
              black or poor or jewish or short or fat or tall or skinny
              or whatever.
        \_ You make a career out of demonizing certain people, don't be
           surprised when those people don't like you.
        \_ On AIDS:
           AIDS is the wrath of a just God against homosexuals.
           On the Antichrist:
           [He] will, by necessity, be a Jewish male.
           On the separation of church and state:
           The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the
           devil to keep Christians from running their own country.
           And, of course, on the September 11th attacks:
           I really believe that the pagans, and the abortionists, and the
           feminists, and the gays and the lesbians who are actively trying
           to make that an alternative lifestyle, the ACLU, People For the
           American Way, all of them who have tried to secularize America.
           I point the finger in their face and say 'you helped this happen.'

5/15    Iraqi army shows you how to hold an assault rifle
        http://tinyurl.com/2arlu2 (news.yahoo.com)
        http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070512/481/bag11705121526
        http://news.yahoo.com/photo/070512/481/bag11305121525
        \_ Almost as good as Zarqawi using the machine gun.
        \_ Our marines hold assault rifles that way as well in some
           situations.  Like close quarter combat, I believe.
        \_ Since when are assault rifles belt fed?  2/3 of those
            pictures show 'machine guns'

5/15    Are there safer ways to have a baby besides Fluid Bonding?
        http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fluid_bonding
        \_ How does it feel anyways?
        \_ Sure! In vitro is perfectly safe for the parents.

5/15    My older brother's Fujitsu notebook (S7010D) died last week and the
        nearest registered service center says it will be $800 just for a
        replacement motherboard (shipped from Japan).  Are there any
        alternatives?  ebay shows nothing.  fyi, the notbook was purchased
        2yrs 9months ago, he never ponied up the $180 for the extended 3yr
        warranty, but treated it well.  had been rebooting randomly before
        death - hard drive is fine.  Thanks.
        \_ Laptops are typically more expensive to repair than to replace.
           When my screen died (actually, it's the connector to the
           screen--probably a $3 part) I couldn't find any way to fix it
           without replacing the entire screen for $1000.  Meanwhile, you can
           get a new laptop for $600
           http://www.gotapex.com/deals/one/26.htm
           \_ thanks.  looks like he will be getting a Thinkpad T60P.
              looks like the old one will be relegated to paperweight service.
              \_ He might want to consider parting it and selling the parts on
                 eBay.

5/15    If everyone got rid of their life destroying entirely manufactured
        autos of all sorts and bikes and just USED FEET we would solve the
        traffic problem, CO2/GW, and oil problem all in one hit.  USE FEET!
        Nothing is cleaner, safer, higher density or healthier for you to
        move around.
        \_ Mr. Comma and Mr. Hyphen would like a word with you now.
        \_ Soon you will realize that really, the answer is to hike off
           to some snowbound place and freeze to death. FREEZE SELF!
           Most other self-elimination methods release some carbon and
           waste resources with investigation, disposal etc. Perhaps
           weighting yourself securely with natural stone and jumping into the
           ocean would also be acceptable, to help feed our embattled marine
           ecosystem.

5/15    If Mormons are as judgemental as emarkp, I'd hate to be
        converted after I die.
        \_ If all anonymous cowards are as trollish as op, I'd have to
           be one.  -Nooooooooo!
           \_ The word you're looking for is "bigot", not troll.

5/15    Pros and cons of various Republican presidential candidates
        http://mcsweeneys.net/2007/5/2moe.html

5/15    What's a good city with the convenience of a city (walkable
        retails, grocery, easily accessible clean young women) and the
        luxury of a suburbia (new, nice big homes, private, quiet, safe)?
        Does such a place actually exist?
        \_ If you can afford a penthouse in Manhattan or Wilshire in LA
           you'll have a huge place (3500sqft and more) that's quiet, safe,
           and is close to retails and people (young women).
           \_ If you can afford a penthouse in Manhattan or Wilshire in LA,
              you don't have to be close to young women.  Young women will come
              to you.
        \_ Never heard of such a place.  Closest would perhaps be loft
           housing in a city.
        \_ Every city has places like that, but you have to be rich to
           afford to live there. See Pacfic Heights.
        \_ Vancouver was the closest I've seen to what you describe. They
           are also in the middle of building a light rail system between
           downtown and the airport.
        \_ My home in Fremont is 10min-walk from 99 Ranch and some restaurants.
           It's 1500sqft and it's probably worth $600k now.  Don't know about
           accessibility of clean young women.
           \_ Seconded. Walkable, close to mass transit, great dim-sum,
              and lots of young & super hot HK women (and wealthy too).
        \_ My home in Fremont is 10min-walk from 99 Ranch, Walgreens,
           Albertson's and some restaurants.  It's 1500sqft and it's probably
           worth $600k now.  Don't know about accessibility of clean young
           worth $600k now.  Don't know about accessibility of white young
           women.
           \_ I'm glad you like Fremont but the positive things you pointed
              out are not unique to suburbs. Like all the other suburbs
              it is nice and quiet but it just doesn't match the convenience
              of a real city.
              \_ Many homes in the Sunset and Richmond districts in SF are not
                 walkable to grocery stores or restaurants.
                 \_ This is not really true, in that there is no place in
                    the Sunset that is more than 1 mile from a restaurant.
                    But some places are pretty far, so far that walking to
                    your grocery store is not really an option. But everyplace
                    in the Sunset and Richmond has a bus within a few blocks.
                    The Richmond is actually very well served by retail, by
                    the way.
        \_ generally economics prevent retail and 'new big homes'.
           single-family homes don't provide the population density for retail
           places to be profitable within walking distance, for  a reasonable
           definition of 'walking distance'.
        \_ Cupertino
           \_ Far from mass transit. Too insulated, you don't meet hot
              young women. You can't walk to grocery and other retails.
              Cupertino has all the great amenities of a suburb but it
              does not have the convenience of a big city.
              \_ Safeway is like less than 1 mile from my house and
                 Target/Trader Joes/AMC Saratoga are like 1.5 miles
                 from my house as is the Cupertino Library and a bunch
                 of food places on De Anza and Stevens Creek. Generally
                 I can get around w/ my bike and there is plenty of bus
                 service.
                 \_ Yeah but it's not nice to walk/bike around. Busy
                    wide streets and typical huge parking lots. De Anza
                    is not walkable at all.
                    \_ This is a point worth emphasizing; a walking district
                       isn't just "services within walking distance."  A street
                       isn't a walking district just because it's not far from
                       a WalMart; when you walk in an urban walking district,
                       you interact with community members and shop owners,
                       see unexpected things, and get pleasure from the
                       simple act of walking.  Walking on big streets to
                       big box stores where you buy stuff on auto-pilot and
                       do self-checkout does not replace urban living.  -tom
                       \_ Narrow minded. Stupid. Or both.
                          You completely failed to realize that most of the
                          patriotic Americans do not want or care about
                          interactions with strangers and bums in the city,
                          and all the inconveniences that go with urban
                          living like pollution, drugs, crimes, etc. People
                          value safety, privacy, and better quality of
                          living (more living space, newer environment,
                          cleaner) over all those things you mentioned.
                          \_ Spoken steeped in suburban privilege.  You
                             are clearly too short for this discussion.
           \_ HAHAHAHAHA... thanks for the good laugh...
        \_ You do understand you are asking for contradictory things, right?
           Walkable with close retail implies high density, while private
           with big homes implies low density.

5/15    Thanks to all for the GTI (and VW) feedback. I had a hunch they weren't
        great, but I didn't realize it was this bad. I know this was all
        anecdotal, but still. Am no longer considering VW!
        \_ It's too bad, cause as form factor goes they are awesome cars.
           \_ There are plenty of other cars that are similar but don't break
              down like the GTI. Check out Civic SI, Mitsubishi Lancer Evo,
              Subaru WRX Impreza, Mini Cooper S.
              down like the GTI. Check out Civic SI, Mazdaspeed3, Subaru
              Impreza WRX, Mini Cooper S.
              \_ Plus Matrix and Yaris hatchback.
              \_ Civic sucks, impreza is a bit too big (and ugly), Mini is a
                 bit more than I'd like to spend.  No idea about the mazda,
                 but at least a while back mazda reliability was lacking.
                 Not saying there aren't other options, but if the GTI didn't
                 like to break it would be at the head of the pack.
              \_ I am actually looking at the Mini now. -op
              \_ Plus Matrix and Yaris Liftback.
              \_ Plus Matrix.
              \_ You left out Lancer Evo. Personally I'd get a WRX or a
                 Legacy GT/Outback XT if you can afford it. -Subaru fan boi
        \_ invisible hand | motd

5/15    "Americans get the poorest health care and yet pay the most compared
        to five other rich countries, according to a report released on
        Tuesday."
        Interestingly, Canada is rated second-worst, and Germany is rated
        as having the best system.
        http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070515/us_nm/healthcare_usa_dc
        \_ You know, I've known this for years, but the average Joe on the
           street thinks that AMERIKA HAS DA BEST DAM HELTH KARE!  WE #1!!
           And every time I say something different they decry the evils
           of "socialized medicine".
           \_ The average PhD is a left leaning socialism, and in many cases
              a closest communist. Why is that the case, Peter?
              \_ Better education?  Though communism is a failed experiment:
                 I don't know anyone who is really a communist, even a
                 closet one, not even close.  But plenty of leftists.
                 Aren't you upset by the erosion of the middle class,
                 decreasing access to health care as many Americans
                 are priced out of the market, concentration of wealth
                 and power into corporate hands, devaluation of labor
                 in comparison to capital?  These are 3rd-worldization
                 trends.  And yes, I get your point on me overgeneralizing
                 based on a few samples of the "Average Joe"--valid point,
                 but America *is* pretty hostile to the idea of socialized
                 medicine--even though it's been shown to be a superior
                 solution when implemented well.  Whether US is capable
                 of a good implementation of socialized medicine is
                 another debate.  --PeterM
                 \_ I find it very telling that they're against it if you
                    call it "socialized medicine" in a poll question, but
                    for it by 2 to 1 if you describe it differently.
                    \_ What's a better term?  "Government health care"?
                       "Government health insurance"?  "Universal health
                       care financed by tax revenue"?  When talking to
                       people I usually use "universal health care" and
                       mention the Governator actually tackling that.
                 \_ http://www.overcomingbias.com/medicine/index.html
                    Search for "RAND Health Insurance Experiment".  I am not
                    touching your 'socialized medicine is the better solution
                    if implemented well' claim, but this is a good read on
                    a related topic. -- ilyas
                    \_ I don't think that study shows what you think it shows.

5/15    Does anyone know of a printer recycling place in the south bay?
        \_ Have you ever watched Office Space?
           \_ No.
              \_ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQzIg0CPW5Q
        \_ In Fremont (not South Bay): http://www.recycle1234.com  They accepted my
           9-pin printer and other stuff.  They even paid me $2 for my old CRT
           monitor, which is not advertised on the web site.
        \_ You can drop stuff at the Sunnyvale Smart Station (google it)
        \_ watch newspaper and such for ewaste recycling drives, usually at
           schools

5/15    What's the difference between US Marines and US Army?
        \_ http://csua.com/?entry=30559
        \_ http://csua.com/?entry=34877
        \_ US Marines: We are elite peacekeepers.
           US Army: Suckers!!!
        \_ Marines are a division of the Navy.  You send in your
           small Marines strike force to pacify the locals and make
           a beachhead for your larger occupying force, US Army,
           to take over eventually.  Of course since all we do now
           is fight guerilla wars (poorly) now all of this goes out
           the window.
           \_ So why isn't the US Army involved in Iraq? Everytime I
              turn on the TV I see Marines getting injured.
                   \- it's very hard for me not to say something more
                      cutting but ...
                      us army has more deaths in iraq than all other
                      service branches put together. possibly about 2x
                      all other services combined. although marines
                      have been killed in higher proportion.
                      it's kinda of disturbing how many people like you
                      blithly believe things so far off the mark and
                      ostensibly can vote, opine about matters of
                      public policy etc. why dont you watch the NEWS HOUR
                      WITH LEHERER. at the end of every show they have an
                      "honor roll" they show a name/rank/picture/hometown/
                      service of people killed in iraq. this kind of ignorance
                      is why these kind of "gestures", or showing photographs
                      of the coffins coming back arent just PR stunts.
                      \- see also: http://icasualties.org/oif
                         [i dont remember if we talked about this before
                         but there is some interesting stuff when you look
                         at say the geographic distribution of deaths,
                         the racial composition of death in vietnam etc.
                         sometimes reenforces what you think, other times
                         not what you expect.]
              \_ Now you have a little more insight into why we are totally
                 screwed in Iraq.  Marines are trained to attack quickly,
                 secure the area, then get the hell out.  We're using
                 Marine units long term in areas where no one knows the
                 difference between friend and foe, if there is a difference.
                 We should have highly trained units familiar with the
                 last 50 years of pain in the area, plus Arabic.  We also
                 need magical fucking fairy dust.  We're asking our young
                 Marines to... I dunno.  Pacify the area?  Shoot everyone?
                 Keep it safe?  Every time they kick ass, the left
                 screams bloody murder, and the right screams look they
                 are fighting terrorists, when they're completely full of shit.
                 Marines need a set goal, like 'take that building' or
                 'shoot that bad guy', they are not miracle workers who can
                 bring democracy to Iraq.  I read the paper and I see
                 men and women from the Air Force, Army, Marines, Navy
                 and national guard in the death rolls.  Must suck to be
                 in the Navy and you're sent to land to guard cargo
                 and you get shot.
                 \_ The big lie of our all-volunteer force is that there
                    is any circumstance under which being in the military
                    doesn't "suck."  Americans don't like the concept of
                    national service, so we've sold our military as a
                    "career choice" like any other.  But it's not.  You
                    may die, you more than likely may be maimed beyond
                    comprehension, you may be psychologically scarred for
                    life, and you will likely be ordered to do things that
                    are against your moral code or your better judgement.
                    That's war.  The glamor that surrounds the military is a
                    big load of crap, and I speak as someone who is a general
                    supporter of the military (although not what our current
                    administration has chosen to do with it in Iraq).  It
                    really is a shame what is happening to our boys (and girls)
                    out there, but remember that they chose to put themselves
                    there.
                    \_ See
                       http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200706/mockenhaupt-army
                       While the article focuses on turning the Y-generation
                       into soldiers, the point I take away is that some have
                       the physical and mental stamina to be warriors, and some
                       don't. We want those who are willing and able, to fight
                       for us. There still is and will always be great honor in
                       defending America, and those who feel the truth of that
                       will step up to the plate. When the stain on our
                       national honor known as the Bush Administration is gone,
                       the faith in our civilian leadership to use the military
                       effectively and with integrity will be restored, and the
                       those who have been staying away because of the
                       stupidity of this admin will volunteer. Standards will
                       rise again and we will have the best military in the
                       world once again, with an all volunteer force that is
                       willing and able to fight for our freedom
                       \_ Ah, but what about when the next gang of idiots
                          takes over?  c.f. the current crop of candidates.
                          \_ We seem to bungle a war every 20-30 years, so look
                             for the next SNAFU around 2030.
                \_ I agree military service sucks.  I stil don't think our
                   Marines or Army are able to fight a guerilla war.  What do
                   you think?  Your 'sucking' point does not deal with anything
                   I wrote above.  I know it's going to suck.  They know it's
                   going to suck.  I want my military in situations where there
                   is a definite goal or as they say "VICTORY OVER TERRORISTS
                   IN IRAQ".  I don't see it.
           \_ Marines aren't a division of Navy.  They are two separate
              branches of the military.  And there are plenty of army units
              in Iraq.
              \_ The United States Marine Corps is part of the Department
                 of the Navy.  Don't take my word for it:
                 http://www.navy.mil/navydata/organization/org-over.asp
                                                        --alawrenc
                 \_ Hence "Marine" (also see: "dict usmc")
        \_ I thought after Vietnam War, C.Powell and others transformed US
           military to a "FIGHTING" force (instead of an "occupying" force).
           The reality is that US commander-in-chief think we can fight
           cheaply (~50 billion USD) and quickly.  The bigger question is,
           1. should we try our Commander-in-chief for treason?  2. after
           6 years of blank check, should we just cut our losses and get the
           hell out and spend next 30 years trying to repaire our reputation
           abroad?  or 3. should we continue this shit, without input from
           Iraq's neighbors, and continue pour resources in it?
        \_ From what I remember a friend whose dad and brother were in the
           Navy told me, the original job of the Marines was to secure beaches.
           To do so, they would usually get transported by the Navy (a joke was
           that MARINE stands for My Ass Rides In Navy Equipment). Once a beach
           head was secured, the Army would then take over. It doesn't seem
           like this is the case anymore.
        \_ I still think we should let the Iraqis put to vote on whether
           the foreign troups should stay or go.   If they genuinely want us
           to leave, they can vote us out, and we go and declare a victory for
           democracy.

5/15    White House attempted to get Gonzalez to authorize illegal
        spying program from his hospital bed:
        http://www.csua.org/u/ipb
        \_ You mean Ashcroft.

5/15    This is a followup message to http://csua.com/?entry=39155
        How is your brother doing?
        \_ No comment? I'm guessing both of the brothers are now serving
           in Iraq and have not been able to access csua. Either that,
           or they're killed.

5/15    300 means more tourist business in Sparta:
        http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/05/15/europe/letter.php
        \- i thought that article was hilarious. i especially liked the
           "i suspect a band of gypsies".

5/15    AG Gonzales thinks "attempted" copyright infringement should be
        a crime and that it should be easier to get wiretaps to figure
        out if you are attempting to commit copyright infrigement:
        http://news.com.com/8301-10784_3-9719339-7.html

5/15    Will WBC (Phelps fundies) picket Falwell's funeral?
        http://preview.tinyurl.com/229c7s